THE EXPLO SIO N C RA TER LAKES OF

D E B R E ZEIT
By Elizabeth Kebede,
David Humber and Amha Belay
About an hour's drive (45ki) south-east of Addis Abalia and
aid-way down the western aargin of the Ethiopia rift
escarpaefft, lies the town of Debre Zeit (formerly called
Bishoftu by the local Qroao people) at an altitude of
approxiaately 1,900 a. Debre Zeit is a fast developing tom)
the population has grown froa 5,000'in 1959 to 65,385 in 1984,
a 13-fold increase within 25 years! Oebre Zeit is an
attractive town and has becoae a centre of attraction for
tourists, natural historians and scientists, for nature hai
endowed the area with a group of picturesque crater lakes all
situated within a few kilontres of each other.

Debre Zeit is 500 or so aetres lower than Addis Ababa and as a

result the area has a seai-arid dilate with a aean annual
rainfall of only 700-800 aa (coapared to l,000aa. for Addis
Ababa). There are six rainy aonths froa flarch to April and
froa June to Septeaber with the highest concentration of
rainfall in July and August. Debre Zeit enjoys a generally
aild diaate with little variation in teaperature, the waraest La k e B is h o ftu Suda
aonths being April and flay (21'c) and the coldest aonths
Noveaber and Deceaber (17’ c) with an average annual tiaes (in Hay 1918) when lake Turkana flooded northwards up
tc^erature of 18.6'c. The cliaats is therefore generally the Oao river resulting in a number of violent underwater
wara and coafortable aost of this tiae, and is one of the explosions which, when the flood receded were seen to be fresh
reasons Debre Zeit is a popular place for Addis Ababam to explosion craters. These explosions deposited rock fragaents
spend evenings and weekends. around the craters to fora the upraised rias of grey bedded
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gravel (up to 150 aetres thick). This occurred between 6,000

During the Quaternary period (about 60,000 years ago) the
region experienced extensive volcanic activity which produced
the present iapressive landscape as veil as foraing the
splendid volcanic cone of Zuquala to tiw south. Being a
volcanic area there are nuaerous cinder and lava cone craters
as well as the explosion craters now foraing the lakes at
Debre Zeit. Explosion craters are a special type of
depression foraed by violent volcanic explosion, and they are
distinct froa other craters in their origin as well as their
physical appearance. Unaodified, they are sunken bowl-shaped
depressions wholly below ground level except for their rias
with steep sides and saooth bottoas. The upper liait for the
diaaeter of an explosion crater is about 1.6ka although this
liait aay be exceeded when the crater is aodified after
foraation due to the continuous aoveaents occuring on and
beneath the earth's surface. In the early 1950's it was
suggested that the explosion craters at Debre Zeit were caused
by the violent iapact of a shower of large aeteors, rather
like the explosion craters on the aoon. However further
geological investigation has shown that this hypothesis is
very unlikely. The explosion craters at Debre Zeit were
probably caused by a coabination of tear faulting and aagaatic
(aolten lava) activity not far below the surface, closely
followed by flooding of the region. Hajor seepage of water
down the faults occurred where it was transforaed to
super-heated steaa which ultiaately accumulated enough
pressure to cause a violent explosion. The resulting craters
were then flooded by the surrounding waters of the giant rift
valley lake. A siailar process has in fact occurred in recent
and 8,000 years ago which was a period of very high rainfall
(called the Pluvials), and the whole area at that tiae was
occupied by an enoraous, shallow rift valley lake which
extended north-westwards as far as Addis Ababa and southwards
including aost of the present rift valley lakes possibly
including lake Abaya. This very wet period was followed by a
progressively drier diaate lowering the water level of the
rift valley lake and leaving the rift valley aore or less as
we know it today. Aaong the sixteen or so explosion craters
foraed around Debre Zeit only the five largest reaained
flooded by exterior lake water although soae of the others
contain water at the end of the rainy season.
The lakes at Debre Zeit have a roughly circular shape with a
relatively saall surface area lying between 0.5 and i.i
sq.ka., but they are considerably different in their depths
with their aaxiaua depths ranging froa 6.4a to 87a. Although
rainfall foras the aajor source of water, the lakes are also
supplied with water froa their saall catchaent areas, and by
underground springs containing dissolved ainerals. All of the
crater lakes at Debre Zeit have what is called a closed lake
drainage systea, i.e. they lack outlets such as streaas and
rivers, thus they tend to be alkaline as the dissolved salts
are left behind and slowly accuaulate as surface evaporation
has continued over the years. The erosion of basaltic and
hyperalkaline rocks surrounding the lakes has also played an
iaportant role in the increased alkalinity of these lakes and
is probably one of the reasons for the large differences in
alkalinity between the different lakes at Debre Zeit (Table i)

11
 Lake Chelekleka
Lake Aranguade

About 6km south of Debre Zeit is found the deepest and best
Table I preserved of the explosion craters, but containing the
smallest of the crater lakes with a surface area of only O.S
Physical features of the Debre Zeit crater lakes sq.kc. The crater wall is almost continuous all around with
steep, and in places, precipitous slopes rising almost 200 m.
above the lake. The lake has a present maximum depth of 32 m.
LAKE ALTITUDE KAX SURFACE ALKALINITY and a mean depth of 18.5 m. *although geological evidence
DEPTH AREA CARB/BICARB suggests that the lake Has at one time 6 m. higher up the
crater Hall. Lake Aranguade has no outlet or apparent springs
although hot springs are present just outside the crater rim.^
The lake Hater is very alkaline nith large amounts of
L. Aranguade i,900m. 32m. 0.5sq.km. +++++ carbonate and bicarbonate ions, Hhich is one of the principal
factors enabling the lake to support an abundant and almost
exclusive population of the blue green alga, Spirulina
L. Bishoftu 1,870m. 87m. 0.9sq.km. ++ platensis. Although this alga is common in other alkaline
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African lakes, its enormous abundance and photosynthetic rate

L. Bishoftu 6uda 1,870m. 65m. 0.6sq.km. + lakes of the Horld. It is by virtue of this alga and the deep
L. Hora Arsedi 1,850m. 38a. 1.1sq.m. ++<+)
L. Kilole 2,000m. 6.4m. 0.8sq.km. ++++++
Table adapted froa Prosser et al., 1968
Variation in place names in Ethiopian geography is common and
Debre Zeit and its lakes are no exception. In addition to
Bishoftu, Debre Zeit has also been called Les Addas by French
engineers building the railway and the local people, and
different authors have used a variety of nates for the five
lakes. In this paper the most recent nomenclature has been
used; L. Aranguade., L. Bishoftu, L. Bishoftu Guda, L. Hora
Arsedi and L. Kilole. A list of some of the alternative names
is given in Table 2. It is interesting to note that the Oromo
word Hora is often used in connection with alkaline lakes.
There are a number of meanings for this word but the most
appropriate in this- context is 'salty* as 'Hora* is an Oromo
Hord used for salty cattle feed scraped from salty lake and
river margins.
in lake Aranguade is the highest recorded among the natural
green colour it has given the lake, that the lake has been
named 'Aranguade* the amharic word for green. In parts of
East Asia, Central Africa and Hexico, sun-dried Spirulina is
used for human consumption and in the second half of this
century, with the upsurge in health food, a number of large
manufacturers have started large scale production of the alga
as a source of natural protein and vitamins. Spirulina has a
high nutritional value with about 702 of the dry Height being
protein, which makes it one of the richest protein sources in
the Horld, and is hoh produced in Urge quantities in
artificial ponds in Europe and America. Spirulina in tablet
form is marketed in health food shops as a dietary supplement
and retails at over 200 Eth. Birr per kilo! Lake Aranguade
Hith its enormous natural population of Spirulina could Hell
be a potential gold mine and feasibility studies have been
carried out on this and other green lakes in Ethiopia Hith a
vieH to exploiting this potential. The dense algal crop in-
Aranguade has such a huge photosynthetic rate during the day
that the lake becomes saturated Hith oxygen (one of the major
byproducts of photosynthesis); hoHever, during the night Hhen
photosynthesis ceases, this oxygen is used up by the algae and
before daylight comes the lake has become completely
anaerobic (oxygenless). This phenomena excludes the
possibility of any fish being present in the lake as they
Hould die of suffocation in the anaerobic conditions of the
night. There is little aquatic vegetation in the lake, but
hundreds of flamingoes can often be seen on the lake feeding

12
 on the Spirulina which, incidentally, gives them the
characteristic pink tinge to their feathers. Early aniaal
collectors were very disappointed when after a while their
captive flaaingoes becaae rather dull and drab until they
suppleaented their diet with carrot juice which contains
siailar carotenoid pigaents to the blue-green alga! Recently
the nuabers of flaaingoes on the lake has decreased probably
due to increased huaan interference.
Unfortunately lake Aranguade is in close proxiaity to the
Headquarters of the Ethiopian Airforce and is therefore a
highly restricted area and any intending visitor HUST obtain
peraission before atteapting to go there.
Lake Bishoftu
Lake Bishoftu lies at an altitude of 1,870 a. above sea level,
and has a surface area of 0.9 sq.ka.. It is on the southern
side of Debre Zeit town, and is quite close to the aain road,
but it is nearly always aissed by the casual visitor because
it does not coae into view until one is right on the crater
ria. It is the deepest of the Debre Zeit crater lakes with a
aaxiaua depth of 87 a. and an overall aean depth of 55 a. The
crater ria is aore or less preserved and on the northern side
it rises with a steep slope about 150 a. above the lake
surface. The water in lake Bishoftu is slightly less alkaline
than lake Hora Arsedi and supports a aoderate population of
algae, doainantly the blue green alga, Hicrocystis aeruginosa.
Tilapia is the cosaonest fish found in this lake, but fishing
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does not appear popular, probably because of the very steep
clinb back up froa the lake after a day's fishing!
Lake Bishoftu Guda
This lake, often called lake Babogaya, is only 2 ka. north of
lake Hora Arsedi and is the second deepest lake of the Debre
Zeit group with a present aaxiaua depth of 65 a. and an
overall average depth of 38 a. although as with lake Aranguade
at one tine the lake level was soae 15 a. higher and was very
close to the top of the eastern ria. The altitude of the lake
is 1,870 a. and it has a surface area of 0.6 sq.ka. Lake
Bishoftu Suda is alaost a perfect circular lake although part
of the ria has been broken down. The lake water is the least
alkaline of the 5 crater lakes and supports an algal
population which is predoninantly coaposed of Hicrocystis
aeruginosa. This alga can often be seen as extensive blooas
on the surface of the lake, particularly around the shoreline.
The subaergent and eaergent aquatic plants which are found
around the shore provide an ideal habitat for the catfish
(Aabazza in Aaharic) which are quite plentiful. Although
there is no fishing on a coaaercial scale, the local people
catch both catfish and tilapia for hoae consuap’
tion.
Lake Hora Arsedi
\ in reasonable nuabers. In addition to Tilapia two other
"jhis lake is known to all visitors to Debre Zeit and is found
ajight behind the Hora Ras Hotel and offers the visitor a
13
Table 2
Alternative naees for the Debre Zeit crater lakes
Lake Aranguade Lake Verde, L. Horaro, Green lake
Lake Bishoftu L. Suda, L. Hora, L. Helca
Lake Bishoftu Guda L. Babogaya, L. Paulo, L. Bishoftu
Lake Hora Arsedi L. Biete Hengist, L. Hara, L. Hera
Seddi.
Lake Kilole L. Kilotes, L. Hora Kilole, Flasingo
lake
spectacular panoraaa froa the veranda of the hotel. It is
possible to walk down froa the hotel to the edge of the lake
and since this part of the lake is aaintaned by the hotel one
birr is charged to walk around the shore or swis. In addition
there are three or four saall houses which are available for
rent froa the hotel although these are noraally fully
occupied. The lake is safe for swiaaing, sailing and water
skiing as Bilharzia has not been reported to occur although
the occasional leech aight be encountered. This lake it in
fact forsed froa two separate explosion craters which
intersect to fora a gourd-shaped lake with the saaller of the
two craters at the north-western end of the lake. The crater
ria around the lake is fairly well preserved with the ria
rising in a steep slope about 100 a. above the lake level.
The eastern side of the larger crater is quite eroded and
rises gently upwards fros the edge of the lake as a grassy
slope and is a popular place for the local people to wash
clothes. It is also interesting to note that this part of the
ria was foraed by a huge torrent of water that burst into the
crater as it was being foraed fros the surrounding rift valley
lake. Situated at an altitude of 1,850 a. above sea level, it
is the biggest of the lakes with a surface area of 1.1 sq.ka..
It has a aaxiaua depth of 38 a. for the saall crater and 3i a.
for the larger crater with an overall eean depth of 17.5 a.
and again - the lake level was originally about 10 a. higher
than it is at present. There are hot springs an the northern
side of the saall crater which are considered to be holy by
the local people and are often visited by the sick as well as
by aany of the local children. During the rainy season, the
lake level rises and the springs becoae subaerged and
inaccesible. The lake water is only half as alkaline as that
of Aranguade (Table 1).
There is considerable aquatic vegetation around auch of the
edge of the shore, aainly Typha sp and around the hot springs
Arundo donax. The coaaonest fish of the alkaline lake of
Africa is the Tilapia and although this fish was previously
absent froa the Debre Zeit lakes Tilapia nilotica ("korosso"
in Aaharic) was introduced in 1925 and still inhabits the lake
species of fish are found in lake Hora Arsedi, Haplochilus
antinorii, and Discognathus quadriaaculatus.
 Location of the Crater Lakes

L.Chelekleka (
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L.Bishoftu

•..x-"'— /VV : .J |
;.-V......'j .i
•\ i /*

•«. *t(4 / •

': ---- - .? / - IV. V>

/ ,-3/V.iV * <
« S».

\ } i

L. Aranguade

14
 Lake Kilole
Kilole lies 10 ka. north-east of Debre Zeit at an altitude of
2,000 s. above sea level and is the reaotest of the crater
lakes. During the rainy season the lakers often inaccessible
by car, even Hith a four-wheel drive vehicle, as there is a
considerable stretch of black cotton.soil about 3'ka. out of
Debre Zeit and then the Hojo river has to be forded which,
after heavy rain aay be 1-2 a. deep. The crater containing
the lake has a diaaeter of about 2 k«. (which in fact exceeds
the upper theoretical liait for explosion craters!) although
the lake itself has a surface area of only 0.77 sq.ka..
Except for the western side which is fairly well preserved,
the crater ria is extreaely broken down and is belived that
sluaping has occured after the crater foraation. On the
northern end of the crater basin enclosing the lake, there is
a saall swaap area fed by an adjacent cold spring. Like all
of the crater lakes Kilole has a closed drainage systea and is
the aost alkaline of the 5 lakes (Table 1). It is also the
shallowest of the lakes with a aaxiaua depth of only 6.4 a.
and an overall aean depth of 2.6 a.. In contrast to the deep
lakes like lake Bishoftu which are surrounded by a high and
intact crater, Kilole is shallow and exposed, with the result
that frequent wind-assisted eixing occurs between the
nutrient-rich bottoa layers of the lake and the surface water.
Thus the upper layer of the lake which is optiaal for
photosynthesis constantly receives fresh nutrients froa the
dark bottoa layers where aost of the decoaposition and release
of nutrients occurs. This frequent aixing, together with the
fact that Kilole is alkaline (and thus has a lot of available
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carbon dioxide) has aade it one of the aost productive lakes
in the world, although not quite as productive as lake
Aranguade. The algal flora of Kilole is also slightly aore
diverse than Aranguade and is aade up predoeinantly of a very
saall species of the blue-green algae Chrococcus and the
spiral algae Spirulina.
Lake Kilole is an excellent place for birds, with a large
nuaber of aquatic and shore birds inhabiting the area and in
particular there are often large nuabers of flaaingos which
has given it one of its alternative naaes of "flaaingo lake*.
15
The other lakes of Debre Zeit
The other lakes in and around Debre Zeit, are lake Chelekleka,
lake Koriftu and the Cuban lakes. The first of these lakes,
Chelekleka, is the shallow’ body of water that can be seen on
the left of the road just as one enters Debre Zeit. This lake
occupies a shallow depression and undergoes considerable
fluctuation in its water level and at tiaes aay extend beyond
the northern edge of lake Bishoftu Guda and at others aay
alaost disappear. In the early 1960's and in 1985 Chelekleka
dried out coapletely for several aonths at the end of the dry
season. The second lake, Koriftu ("cold* in Droainya), which
as yet does not appear on the aaps of Debre Zeit is a saall
iapoundaent lake . foraed 'about ten years ago, but it has been
stocked with Tilapia species and fishing is carried out by the
local people organised under a fisheraan's cooperative. There
are three additional lakes known collectively, after their
constructors, as the Cuban lakes which were foraed in the
early 1980's for irrigation purposes. One, called Belbela
lake (constructed in 1979 and full by 1980) and the other two
foraed as a result of daaaing the river Hodecha; the lower one
about 2 ka. east of lake Koriftu was only partly successful;
the second upper lake is behind Hount Yerer (full by 1980).
FURTHER READING
Hacdonald, 6.A. (1972). Volcanoes. Prentice Hall, New Jersey,
510pp.
Hohr, P.A. (1961). The geology, structure and origin of the
Bishoftu explosion craters. Bull. Geophys. Obs. Addis Ababa,
2,. (2),.65-101.
Prosser, N.V., Hood. R.B. and Baxter, R.K, (19681, The
Bishoftu crater lakes; a bathyaetric and cheaical study. Arch.
Hydrobiol., 65, (3), 309-324.
Tailing, J.F., Hood, R.B., Prosser, H.V. and Baxter, RJ.
(1973). The upper liait of photosynthetic productivity ky
phytoplankton: evidence froa Ethiopian soda lakes. Frtilwiter
Biol., 3, 53-76.